The US-led coalition in Iraq has withdrawn the last of its forces from Camp Taji, a base near Iraq’s capital Baghdad that has been the target of recent rocket attacks. The coalition handed control of the base to Iraqi security forces, along with $347 million in military equipment.
The anti-ISIS coalition dubbed Operation Inherent Resolve is hailing the move as a success and says it is part of a “long-range” plan with the Iraqi government.
“Camp Taji has historically held up to 2,000 Coalition members, with the majority departing over the summer of 2020,” the coalition said in a statement released on Sunday. The statement said the force was made up of a Spanish helicopter battalion and “military trainers” from Australia, Canada, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Turkey, the UK, the US, and NATO.
It is not clear if the forces withdrawing from Camp Taji are leaving Iraq entirely, or if they are just being redeployed in the country. Currently, there are about 5,000 US troops in Iraq and an additional 2,500 from other countries that are part of the coalition.
The troop movement comes after President Trump met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi to discuss a US withdrawal from Iraq. Details from the meeting are scant, but it is believed that Trump wants a troop reduction before the November election.
Camp Taji has seen an increase in rocket attacks since the US assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in January. After the killings, Iraq’s parliament voted unanimously in favor of US and coalition forces leaving the country.
They will probably just relocate to Afghanistan to help pick opium poppies for the CIA.
US-led coalition prevents independent media from covering Camp Taji handover.
We are on the Iraqi soil and Americans have no right to block the Iraqi media in this country,” Muhammad al-Awad, a correspondent for Iraq’s al-Ahad television network argued.
“The behavior of American forces in Camp Taji exposes the extent of their fear that media outlets may shed light on their crimes,” Awad highlighted.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/08/23/632437/US-led-coalition-prevents-independent-media-from-covering-Camp-Taji-handover
Watch these troops show up in the UAE.
Yes, I very much doubt that they will be “coming home” like Trump promised.
If they were “trainers” how come so many from so many countries were necessary?
Have to keep the dollars rolling in to the military-industrial complex which is in every country that is involved in Iraq.
A year, two years from now American troops will still be leaving Iraq.The patsies are the Iraqis who put up with American boots on Iraqi soil.
Well they didn’t have a whole lot of choice in the matter, if I remember correctly.
The Afghans told the US to drop dead prior to the invasion by the US. And the Taliban continued fighting. On the other hand, Pakistan cooperated with our “war on terror.”
Advance to the rear…..
No aircraft, or flying object of any size civilian or military can take off, and/or be in the air space in or over Iraq without the U. S. Military authorization.
All roads, major or supplemental to or capable of transporting, any size of military, industrial, commercial or construction material must pass through U.S. military blockaded check points.
The U. S. Air Force has how many landing strips in Iraq?
The U. S. Air Force has how many air craft and drones based in Iraq?
The U. S. Government has how many military contractors, of course, not mercenaries, in Iraq?
All financial and commercial transactions by the Iraq Government and by financial institutions based in Iraq or doing business with Iraq are settled in dollars through the Federal Reserve in New York and deposited or maintained in the New York Federal Reserve.
Iraq is an occupied, controlled and completely and utterly under the will and discretion of the United States military and Government.
The rest or anything else is mere words, political language, propaganda.
dennis hanna
amerikans are developmentally delayed—they required 2 decades to comprehend that their genocide in SE Asia could not impose imperialism in Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia—they continue to try by imposing sanctions in Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos….no different in Afghanistan, Iraq, etc
Don’t forget the suffering they have caused for the people of Iran and Venezuela because of their ill-thought-out regime change operations. If Cuba didn’t bow down to them after 60 years of an embargo why are they delusional enough to think Iran or Venezuela will?
Just think of all the trillions of dollars the US would have had for other purposes if they hadn’t illegally invaded Iraq back in 2001. Why do the American people put up with this craziness?